Raiders Put No. 1 Ranking On Line

Bill Payne knows that by now his Seminole Community College Raider basketball team is getting tired of hearing his ''this is another big game'' speech.

But nothing could be closer to the truth as the Raiders, voted the No. 1 team in the state for the second time this season, travel to Daytona Beach tonight for a Mid-Florida Conference showdown.

The Raiders (22-5) need to win this one on the road to maintain a share of the conference lead they now have with Florida Junior College.

SCC and FJC are deadlocked at 8-2 in the league. Daytona Beach Community College is 7-3.

Daytona, sparked by three former Seminole County prep stars, have not lost in its last 14 games at home. Former Lake Mary stars Fred Miller and Daryl Merthie and ex-Sanford Seminole star Willie Mitchell lead the Scots, who received one first place vote in this week's balloting. They've posted an overall 21-6 record.

The Raiders should be in better health tonight. Despite having starting guard David Gallagher and top reserves Efren Brooks, James Morris and Claude Jackson all out of action, the Raiders turned away Florida Junior College, 71-57, last Saturday..

''It was just a great team win,'' Payne said. ''It was great for the school, the town and the entire community.''

For tonight's game David Gallagher is still listed as extremely doubtful. ''He didn't practice Monday,'' Payne said. ''He could hardly walk on the ankle.

Jackson, who also is out with an ankle injury, has been slow coming around. In the first game with Daytona, in which the Raiders rallied late in the second half to win, Vance Hall scored 25 points, and Greg ''Slim'' Johnson added 13 points and 14 rebounds.

''Daytona still outrebounded us,'' Payne said. ''That's one of the things we are concerned about.''

With the 6-foot-8 Hall and the 6-foot-7 Johnson under the boards, the Raiders should control the inside. But in several games they've not done so. That's what Payne feels is needed to turn away Daytona.

With the victory over FJC, Payne said the Raiders now feel they can beat anyone. ''There's been the question of whether we can win on the road,'' Payne said. ''But we started the second half of the season with a victory at Santa Fe. They are a good team.''

Tony Roberts handed out 17 assists in leading the Raiders to victory over FJC last Saturday but that's far from a school record. The school mark is 23. RAIDER NOTES: There will be at least one bus load of Raider fans heading to Daytona Beach for the game tonight. ''And if more fans show an interest there will be other busses,'' Payne said. ''The school is picking up the tab for the busses.'' The Raiders' ''Rag Patrol'' also will be making the trip. This group of vocal fans is comprised mainly of the SCC baseball team. Raiders' baseball coach Jack Pantelias urged his team to start supporting the basketball team at the outset of the season. The group is there for every home game with at least one horn blaring and an assorted variety of drums. . . . About being ranked No. 1 in the poll this week Payne jokingly said ''it's a misprint.'' Payne has good reason to be apprensive about being ranked in the top spot. Earlier in the year his Raiders were in the same position and went to Polk where they lost and then dropped another game that same week.